


Another Chance

by dextromethorphan



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, maybe ill continue this who knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:07:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14141601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dextromethorphan/pseuds/dextromethorphan
Summary: Third time is a charm for Tord.





	Another Chance

"Maybe one day, after all this is done, we can get a dog together." Edd had said to Tord the day he first left, lingering in their embrace. That was ten years ago, when they were both fifteen, young enough to hope that things would work out, but old enough to know that it probably wouldn't. When Tord came back five years after that, they thought that things would work out again, but Tord was selfish and screwed up, destroying not only Edd's house, but their relationship as well. And he regretted it. 

Now, another five years later, they encountered each other in a parking lot, strangers full of shared memories and past regrets. Tord noticed him out of the corner of his good eye. Edd had grown much taller than he last remembered him – in fact, before he went and destroyed everything, he had been much shorter than Tord. Curiously, he stared at him, from his messy hair to his oddly familiar jacket. He realized where he had seen that jacket before and nearly dropped the bag he was carrying to the car. He stumbled and made an undignified yelp of surprise, because Edd was wearing the jacket that he used to wear. It was still too long for him, but he had definitely grown into it. 

That caught Edd's attention. He turned to look at Tord with a curious gaze, squinting at him in confusion. Tord looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming bus. Slowly, cautiously, Edd approached Tord. Tord cursed under his breath, not because he didn't want to see Edd, but because he didn't know how to handle it, and even after all these years he never thought up an apology good enough or strong enough. Besides, what do you even say to someone whose home you destroyed and heart you broke? Is there any right way to handle these things, Tord wondered, and then came to the conclusion that no, there never is. 

Edd gave a halfhearted smile. "Uh... Hey, stranger." He said, putting his hands in the pocket of that damn jacket. Tord smiled back, nodding. "Yeah! Yeah, hey. Nice to see you. Nice jacket." He said, instantly regretting every stupid word that came out of his mouth. Edd looked down at the jacket and shrugged. "Thanks, it's from... Ah." He trailed off and looked at the floor. Why did I mention the stupid jacket... Tord thought to himself. Of all the things he could have said, that was one that he shouldn't have. 

Edd eyed him and looked back to where he was parked. "Um... Well it was nice seeing you, but I have to get home." He said the last word a little softer, heavy and awkward in the presence of someone who had ruined that for him. Tord shuffled awkwardly and nodded. "Um, yeah... You too." As he turned around, Tord realized something horribly selfish and sickening; he didn't want to lose him a third time. Even talking to him like this had made his chest twist and ache more than anything else had in these past five years. "Wait... Wait, Edd." He called. 

Edd flinched a little and turned around. "Yes?" He asked. Tord hesitated. "Do you still have my number?" He asked. Edd was silent and looked away. "I... No, I don't." He said, beginning to walk away again. "Wait. Wait, here, I'll give it to you. Please call me, I..." He hesitated under Edd's dejected gaze. "I have to tell you something." Words swirled in his head, and while he could just blurt out I'm sorry for breaking your trust and being the world's worst boyfriend, he had to take the time to actually think of it, not just the feelings and the sentiment, but the words that delivered them. 

Most of the time, he had been good with words, but in the thirteen years he had known Edd, he was always tongue-twisted. From the first time he realized that his feelings towards him were more than admiration, to right now, standing in a parking lot at 8pm all those years later. It wasn't like him. Edd, on the other hand, had had enough of Tord's antics and crossed his arms. "Just say it to me now." He said flatly. Tord took a deep breath. His throat seemed to close up, now the added pressure of having to hurry up and spit it out before Edd walked away, and he probably would never see him again. 

He inhaled sharply and shoved his hands in his hoodie pocket, glaring down at the concrete. "I'm sorry! I'm really goddamn sorry. I don't know how to say it, I'm sorry that I was an asshole and I'm sorry that I never learned or realized what you were worth, and I took you for granted and thought it was a good idea to trade what we had for, fuck, I don't even know what I was going for." He put a hand to his forehead and let out an unsettled laugh. "I really don't know what I was trying to do, I just let all these ideas of power go to my head, and I didn't realize that I had all I wanted right here in front of me. I should've been better to you because you were always so kind and- and- shit, I can't even come up with words that remind me of you anymore, you're just – so good, I..." He inhaled and looked up at Edd, trailing off.

He had an amused smirk on his face, trying to hide it with one hand. Tord laughed again, loud and nervous. "Sorry, I got carried away, didn't I?" He adjusted the strap of his eyepatch a little, a nervous habit he had picked up in later years. Edd nodded, crossing his arms and grinning big now. "Yeah. You really did. But..." He thought about it for a minute, a pensive look crossing his face. "Well... Maybe I'll call you sometime. Or you can stop by, it's just me now since the other guys moved to their own places..." He sighed and looked away. "...I mean, Ringo missed you and stuff, so you could come by sometime this week." 

Tord looked up at him hopefully, feeling his face get a little hot. He had never thought that in a million years, Edd would even consider letting him back in his life, even so much as a phone call or a text. "Are you serious?" He asked softly, as if he could break the fragile moment by speaking too loudly. Edd eyed him, and then added, "Don't get excited. This doesn't mean I trust you again. I don't know if I ever could." He sighed. "But... If you really are serious about being sorry, prove it first." 

Tord nodded furiously. "Of course, I..." He laughed a little bit. "God, I can't believe we ran into each other." He said, mostly to himself. Edd shrugged. "Coincidences are weird, man." He put his hands in his jacket pockets again. Tord tapped his foot nervously. "So, when are you going to call, just so I know, because, you know... I'm not always with my phone and I don't want to miss it." He rambled a little. Edd thought about it. "I guess tomorrow night, if that's free for you. Maybe around, I dunno, nine." He said. Tord nodded. "Nine! Yes. That's good." He nodded. 

Tord turned to leave, squeaking out an uncomfortable, "Goodbye!" As he got into the driver's side, he heard Edd huskily say, "Thank you." Something in his voice made Tord's chest tighten and his throat close up. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. 

As he drove the way home, he was troubled by what had happened. He was still afraid that he had come off as a weirdo, or maybe Edd was bluffing, or... He swerved to avoid driving in the wrong lane, then decided maybe it would be best if he went through a drive-thru instead of driving on an empty stomach and a foggy head. The whole time he was in the car, his mind was simply occupied with thoughts of Edd and tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't decided if this is a one-shot or if i'll write a follow up yet heh


End file.
